- “Chappelle’s Show” returned to Netflix on Friday after it was removed at Dave Chappelle’s request.
- He shared the news in a video on Thursday and thanked fans for boycotting the show.
- Chappelle said he got his “name” and “license” back in addition to making “millions of dollars”
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
“Chappelle’s Show” is once again available to stream on Netflix.
In a 10-minute video titled “Redemption Song” on Thursday, Dave Chappelle, 47, said the sketch comedy series would return to the streaming platform on Friday, February 12, months after it was removed at his request.
“Chappelle’s Show,” which aired on Comedy Central from 2003 to 2006, was pulled from Netflix in November as a result of Chappelle’s pay and licensing dispute with ViacomCBS, Comedy Central’s parent company.
“I never asked Comedy Central for anything. If you remember, I said, ‘I’m going to my real boss,’ and I came to you because I know where my power lies,” he said in the video, which appeared to be from his recent tour in Austin.
He continued: “I asked you to stop watching the show and thank God almighty for you, you did. You made that show worthless because without your eyes it’s nothing. And when you stopped watching it, they called me.”
Chappelle, who abruptly exited the show in 2005, said he got his “name,” his “license,” and his “show” back as a result of the boycott, adding that the new deal earned him “millions of dollars.”
The comedian then thanked Netflix’s co-CEO Ted Sarandos for removing “Chappelle’s Show” in 2020 after he asked, even though it was a “financial detriment” to the streaming platform.
Chappelle also thanked Chris McCarthy, the president of ViacomCBS’ MTV Entertainment Group, for having an “interest in making the past right.”
“Finally after all these years, I can finally say to Comedy Central: ‘It’s been a pleasure doing business with you,'” he said.
In a statement provided to USA Today, McCarthy said: “Dave Chappelle is one of the greatest comedians of our time and a defining voice of the Comedy Central brand. After speaking with Dave, I am happy we were able to make things right.”
“Chappelle’s Show” is also available to stream on HBO Max, which previously removed it at the end of 2020.
Chappelle has previously spoken about his side of the dispute
During his November 2020 monologue as the host of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” Chappelle said both Netflix and HBO Max were streaming “Chappelle’s Show” without paying him.
The comedian said he wondered what his great-grandfather, who was born enslaved in South Carolina, would say if he saw Chappelle now.
“If he could see me now, he’d probably be like, ‘This n—- got bought and sold more than I have,'” he joked.
Shortly after his hosting gig on “SNL,” Chappelle shared an Instagram video called “Unforgiven,” in which he said ViacomCBS didn’t inform him of plans to license the show.
“I found out that these people were streaming my work and they never had to ask me or they never have to tell me,” he said, continuing, “Perfectly legal ’cause I signed the contract. But is that right? I didn’t think so either.”
A post shared by Dave Chappelle (@davechappelle)
He then asked his fans not to stream the show.
“I’m begging you, if you ever liked me, if you ever think there was anything worthwhile about me, please don’t watch that show. I’m not asking you to boycott any network — boycott me. Boycott ‘Chappelle’s Show,'” he said.
Chappelle added, “Do not watch it unless they pay me.”
Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider’s parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.
